Author's Notes: One review last time. One review! This sucks.

Chapter 5: The Doubter and the Forgotten

Finn looked over a Junko. "How in the world do you know those are Sky Sharks? You're not even looking!"

Junko shrugged. "Oh, I'm allergic to them."

"What?"

I looked around to see what Aerrow thought, but to my surprise, he was headed toward the door to go out on the deck with Stork. I followed him, only noticing as I was opening the door that Junko was following. Finn scurried behind us, saying, "Wait for me!"

Once out on the deck, I saw Aerrow standing next to Stork, peering at the Sky Sharks. "Why aren't they attacking?"

"No idea," Stork said. Then he muttered his usual, "But when they do, we're doomed."

"Maybe I can talk to them!" Pydge exclaimed. He had finally dropped Radarr when he said this, who went scurrying to Aerrow to hide behind his leg.

"No, Pydge," Aerrow, Stork, and I all said in unison.

Junko looked out before sneezing again so powerfully that he sent himself flying back into the window. "This is a tough nut to crack."

Owsley nodded, pushing his glasses up his face. "We're in some serious jelly."

"And a jam!" Griffin added.

"A tight spot," Pydge agreed

"Up a creek," Owsley said.

"Up a tree," Griffin said.

"Lost in the grass," Pydge put in.

"SHUT UP!" Stork shouted at them.

Unfortunately, that made the Sky Sharks turn and look at us. Stork stared with wide eyes. "Whoops."

And with that, the first shark dived at us.

We all screamed and made to run. But Junko couldn't run. He was too busy trying not to sneeze. And just when the Sky Shark was almost upon us, Junko did sneeze.

The shark gave us a surprised look before it was sent flying in the opposite direction.

We all froze. Aerrow's face lit up. "That's it! Junko, stay where you are!"

"What?"

Another shark came flying our way, and Junko let out another sneeze. That shark was sent flying backward, too. "Yes!" Aerrow exclaimed, clenching a fist.

Seeing two comrades already sneezed back, the other sharks decided that this was one ship they did not one to mess with. They all scattered as quickly as possible.

"Yeah, that's right!" Finn shouted after them. "Not so tough now, are ya? Remember that next time you try to take on the Finnster!"

"Finn," I reminded him, "you didn't do anything!"

Finn was about retort when Stork interrupted with, "That's more like it! Everyone back inside! We're flying onward . . . to our doom, probably."

The Sky Scouts ran in first. As we were following, I said, "At least no one almost fell off this time."

"You know," Stork told us, "years ago, on my first Christmas Eve run, I was up on the roof securing a plate that wanted to fly off, and I slipped on the ice and fell myself. And yet, I did not fall off this ship."

Junko, Finn, Aerrow, Radarr, and I stopped at that. "Someone saved you?" I said in awe.

Stork leaned forward toward us and raised an eyebrow. "Or something."

Aerrow and I exchanged glances, and I knew we were thinking the same thing. We might know this something.

"An angel!" Junko suggested.

Stork nodded. "Maybe." He didn't bother to list anything like a vampire with a jet pack or flying bear or anything like that. That made me wonder if maybe, just maybe, he might actually suspect the truth.

"What did he look like?" I asked. "Did you see him?"

"No," Stork answered. "But sometimes seeing is believing, and sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can't see."

As he said this, he looked right at me. I couldn't help but think he was trying to convey some sort of message to me.

We went back inside and started for the next terra.

We eventually stopped at Terra Gale. The person who got on was wearing kitchenware. I'm not kidding. Really, she was.

Her name was Dove, and she fixed us all with a cold eye, not unkindly, just sternly. I knew this was a person who wouldn't take nonsense from anyone.

And Finn, just like with the Amazonian girl, ogled at her, despite the kitchenware.

The next terra we went to gave me chills. We had made it to Terra Deep, where we hovered by a wrecked ship and lowered the plank to it rather than landing anywhere. I knew there were Murk Raiders here, but I couldn't imagine who we were picking up.

Finally someone came on, a fat guy with an eye patch over one eye. "Oh, yes!" he said. "SANTA! I get to see SANTA!"

He turned to us excitedly. "Scabulous said he didn't exist, but he was wrong! We're going to see him!"

Finn raised an eyebrow. "And you are . . . ?"

"Eyeball!" the guy said excitedly.

"Right," Finn said, looking at him as if he were scum.

Suddenly, Junko sneezed again.

Aerrow and I looked around widely. "More Sky Sharks?" I cried.

"No," Junko said, "I'm allergic to Murk Raiders, too."

"MURK RAIDERS?" Aerrow, Finn, and I all exclaimed while Radarr screeched his equivalent. That meant Eyeball was a Murk Raider! We all quickly edged away from him.

Eventually we went to Terra Mesa. There someone named Starling came on. She seemed friendly enough, but she didn't talk much, shunning most of the company much as Aerrow had done when he arrived, though she didn't completely isolate herself as he had done.

The next terra didn't make me feel that safe, either. We had stopped at Terra Zartacla. I wasn't sure how the guards didn't notice us, especially with Stork shouting, "All aboard!" but eventually a skinny redhead in a guard uniform and wearing braces got on. We learned his name was Hamish, and that he was as stupid he looked.

By that time, the Sky Scouts had about driven Stork to his wits' end. He left the helm to Radarr, muttering something about having to check the "toy room."

"The toy room?" Junko said with excitement.

"It's just an excuse," Stork warned, quietly so that the Scouts wouldn't hear.

"But you do have a toy room?" Junko added.

Stork rolled his eyes. "Alright. Come on." He led Junko away. I looked at Aerrow, seeing if he wanted to follow, but Aerrow seemed content to hang out with Radarr, who couldn't leave the helm since he was driving. So I followed alone.

Down the hallway we went, past the room Aerrow and Radarr had hid in and past the hatch to the roof and down another hallway. Finally Stork turned to a room on the side and led us into it.

It wasn't a toy room like either Junko or I were expecting. It was dark and desolate inside. The toys inside were all broken apart and torn up, some muddied and others tangled and still others with completely shattered bits. "Ah, the abandoned and forsaken," Stork told us as he led us inside. "The fate of us all. Mind your step now. These poor toys have suffered enough, being left to rust and decay in the back alleys and vacant lots of the Atmos."

"What are they doing here?" I asked as I looked around.

"It's a new concept the boss came up with," Stork said. I could tell by the way he said "boss" that he meant Santa. "Instead of being thrown away, they're being collected. Refurbished. He calls it, eh . . . rebicycling? Something like that."

I looked at a doll lying off to the side, covered in mud, her dress torn, he arm missing. I knew it was just toy, but it was still a sad sight.

Junko picked up a little figurine that was bent all out of shape. "Makes me wanna cry," he said, "seeing toys that way treated this way."

Stork gestured to a bunch of marionettes hanging from the ceiling, looking grotesque in their condition. "These hopelessly entangled puppets and marionettes pose a peculiar problem. We found the nimble fingers of our workforce here at Polar Terra are the best for working out those knots and tangles. Ah, well . . ." He shrugged and started to leave. Junko followed, looking upset.

I stopped and looked at one of the poor marionettes, one with a broken nose. Looking at the knots, I couldn't believe anyone could work them out. Santa's workforce must be something.

When the door closed behind Stork and Junko, I realized I'd lingered too long, and they were about to leave me behind.

I had just reached for the handle went I felt something land on my shoulder. I turned around. It was a marionette's hand that had stopped me, one of an old man in pajamas. I knew I should place him, but I couldn't.

The puppet started moving, and then I heard a voice speaking as its mouth moved. "You're just like me, my friend. A Scrooge!"

I screamed and sprang back as the puppet moved toward me when it yelled. Had I gone crazy? Had the puppet really . . . come to life?

But know I knew who the puppet was. Scrooge.

"Polar Terra, Santa Claus, this ship," the puppet said, "it's all a bunch of humbug! A bout of indigestion!"

But this couldn't be. Someone had to . . .

I looked up. Sure enough, there was Arygyn, pulling the strings.

But even though he must have known I'd seen him, he kept on with the act. "Oh, yeah, I know what you are," he made Scrooge say. The puppet pointed at me, and then Arygyn shouted, "You're a doubter!"

I gasped. This was just too freaky. A guy I thought was a Skeelur directing a freaky-looking puppet that was shouting at me . . . it was too much for my nerves. I ran toward the door, only to get entangled in more marionettes while trying to get away. All the while, Arygyn, in his Scrooge voice, was shouting, "You're a doubter! You don't believe! You're a doubter! You don't believe!"

I finally made it to the door, threw it open, and slammed it shut on Arygyn's most awful, horrible laugh.

Back on the bridge, I tried to avoid everyone. A doubter, he had called me. A doubter. Because I couldn't believe in Santa. Because I still wondered if this whole adventure was just a dream.

I looked around. I wanted to talk to Junko, who was such a strong believer, or Aerrow . . . Aerrow just because.

But Aerrow was nowhere to be found on the bridge. Nor was Junko. Or even Finn.

At last, I spotted Aerrow. He wasn't on the bridge at all. He and Radarr were out on the deck. Aerrow was leaning on the railing.

I couldn't imagine what he was doing out there. Why would he stand out in the cold when he didn't have a proper coat?

Quickly I headed for the door and went out only to come face to face with Junko and Finn. Junko quickly shushed me and pointed toward Aerrow and Radarr, telling me they were not to be disturbed. Finn seemed to be sticking around for Junko's sake, looking uncomfortable.

I peered past them at Aerrow and Radarr. What was going on?

Aerrow and Radarr seemed to have no idea we were there. Aerrow was staring out at the sky, a sad expression on his face. I never imagined that Aerrow could look small and vulnerable; even in his shabby clothes, he had the sort of attitude of someone always saying, "I dare you," to anyone who tried to mess with him. But now, he looked exactly like what he was: a scared kid with nowhere to go for help.

Aerrow's eyes were on a distant star, the brightest of them all. "I wish he could find us this year. What do you think, Radarr? Think he will?"

Radarr, who was balanced on the railing, let out a quiet churr, like an uneasy cat purr. I wasn't sure what that meant, but apparently Aerrow did.

"I guess Santa's too busy to try to keep up with us, what with our moving around and all," Aerrow said. "I just . . . hope he finds us this year. For once."

My heart melted at that. I never once thought about the fact that, whether or not Santa was real, I would still wake up to lots of presents on Christmas morning. Aerrow and Radarr probably never had anything.

Junko apparently thought Aerrow needed some cheering up. He stepped right up to Aerrow, announcing his presence with, "But Christmas is the best time of the year."

Aerrow and Radarr both gasped when they heard him arrive. Radarr nearly toppled off the railing, but Aerrow grabbed him by the scruff and placed him on his shoulder.

"All the family comes home," Junko went on as if nothing happened, "and everyone's so full of Christmas cheer! Putting up the tree and decorations . . . and so many friends coming to see you . . . It's the funnest time of the year! Think of all the presents!"

Aerrow's face fell, and I knew immediately that Junko had made a mistake in reminding Aerrow of family and friends at Christmas time. Aerrow probably had none of that besides Radarr. "I've . . . never seen any of that," he admitted at last. "I've heard about it, but . . ."

"No one will be sleeping tonight," Junko added. "We'll all be waiting for Santa. And he will come. He will! And he'll find you guys," he added. "He's got to. You're on the Express, so he's got know where to find you tomorrow if the Express drops you off somewhere." When Aerrow still didn't look reassured, he added, "You've got to at least like Christmas. You've got to love it when you hear the sleigh bells and the singing of angels . . ."

"I've never heard a sound," Aerrow informed him. He didn't look annoyed, just saddened, as he he'd only just realized what he was missing, and he wanted it badly.

"He'll find you this year," Junko insisted. He put his hand on Aerrow's shoulder, the one Radarr wasn't resting on. "Besides . . . you got us now."

Aerrow glanced at him and then looked back at Finn and me. We were standing back a distance, feeling awkward. But seeing Aerrow smile at me made me feel invited, and I came up on the other side of him, wrapping an arm around him. "Yeah," I agreed, "you got us."

"Totally, dude!" Finn added, coming up beside Junko.

Radarr nuzzled Aerrow's chin before turning and nuzzling my cheek in thanks.

Aerrow's smile was small but natural. "Thanks, guys," he said.

"Yeah, yeah, we all care," another voice said. "Now get inside, the lot of ya before you catch pneumonia."

We all turned and saw Stork standing in the doorway. "Right," Aerrow said at once, beaming at him, too. And with that, he headed inside with Radarr on his shoulder, the rest of us with them.

Once inside, Stork told us this was it. We were heading straight north, straight into Cyclonian territory and onward to Polar Terra.

I just didn't know what to say to that. I knew what our next stop was: Cyclonia.

Sure enough, in little time, we had made it to the formidable terra. Despite what Stork had said about the Cyclonians, there didn't seem to be anyone there to meet us and fire us out of the skies.

We landed on the edge of a dock, and Stork got out, calling his usual, "All aboard!"

Aerrow was pressed up against the glass next to me. And he looked angry. "What're we stoppin' here for?" he growled. "Doesn't he know these people?"

"He said they celebrate Christmas, too," I pointed out to him.

"They destroy homes and families," Aerrow answered back, his voice raw with anger. "They shouldn't be allowed on here."

"But they can't all be bad, right?" I reminded him.

"You don't know them like I do."

I couldn't bring myself to tell Aerrow he was being unreasonable. He was right. I didn't know Cyclonians like he did, and I didn't go through all the things he had to go through. It would be unfair of me to say so. But . . . not every Cyclonian attacked terras and killed people. Surely Aerrow knew that on some level. But his experience with them must have taught him otherwise.

The Cyclonian who did finally answer the call was one who sent a shiver down my spine. Clad in armor with the Cyclonian symbol of a red raven striking in attack; a double-bladed, two-handed sword in a sheath on his back; and a grappling hook strapped to his left arm, he looked like a fit warrior. The deadly sword was powered by a deep red high-grade Firebolt crystal on the end of its handle. The man had jet black hair and blood-red eyes. I had never seen him before, but I knew somehow that I didn't like him.

But Aerrow was trembling. He apparently had seen him before. "Not him," he muttered. "Not him." His fists were clenched as if he might try to punch through the glass to jump down on the man and rip his throat out.

"Who is he?" I asked.

"The Dark Ace." Aerrow's voice with filled with more loathing than I thought possible.

I trembled. The Dark Ace. Terror of the skies. I glanced over at him. "How do you know?"

At first Aerrow didn't seem fit to respond. "He's the one!" Aerrow said. "He killed my family!"

How do you respond to that?

I looked down at Stork and the Dark Ace, afraid for once that something might go wrong.

But the Dark Ace didn't attack Stork. He merely spoke with him, although angrily. I didn't hear the conversation they had, but apparently the Dark Ace wanted Stork to leave. He kept pointing forcefully away. When Stork kept refusing, the Dark Ace stalked off.

I breathed a sigh of relief, letting out the breath I didn't know I had been holding. "He's not coming," I assured Aerrow.

"Good for him," Aerrow answered.

I glanced over at Aerrow, and for the first time, I was afraid of him. He seemed kind, loyal, and brave . . . so kind, in fact, that I hadn't known violence was in him. But apparently I was wrong to think otherwise. Aerrow was easy to befriend but not someone to cross.

Stork stood there a little while and finally gave up. Aerrow went away from the window, still shaking with anger, muttering about how we never should have come here.

I was about to walk away, too, when I noticed something. A pale girl with long, straight black hair that shielded her face had come out onto the dock, looking curiously at the Condor Express. But Stork wasn't there to greet here. In fact, the plank had already been taken up.

Stork had just come onto the helm and was starting the engine. "Stork . . ." I began.

"Not now," he muttered, starting the engines.

I looked back at the girl. She had noticed the running engines and had finally seemed to decide something. She went running under the ship, obviously trying to get on.

"Stork . . ."

"Wait till we're in the air."

The ship began to lift off the dock, and I noticed the girl was no longer there.

"No!" I shouted. I didn't know if she had fallen or if she was under the ship, but we couldn't leave until we knew she was safe. I ran to the emergency break button and hit it.

The safety chutes popped out, and the landing gear dropped again, jolting everyone inside.

Stork whirled around to me, his eye twitching madly. "We are already running behind!" he shouted. "Are you determined that we don't make it to Polar Terra on time?"

"But I . . . I . . ."

"She was just trying to let that girl get on!" It was Junko who defended me. I hadn't even known he had seen what I'd seen.

"What girl?" Stork asked.

"I saw her run under the ship . . ." I said.

Stork nodded to me. "Come on," he said.

I followed him away. Junko and Finn looked nervous to join me. I glanced at Aerrow and Radarr to see if they would come. Radarr was perched on Aerrow's shoulder. Radarr looked at Aerrow expectantly, but Aerrow was looking determinedly away from me. Apparently I wasn't on his good side now. I'd tried to help a Cyclonian board the Condor Express.

Stork and I went down to the hangar bay and looked around. "She was here . . ."

"There she is!" Stork shouted.

I turned and saw Stork was down on his belly, peering below the landing strip. I followed suit.

The girl was sitting on the landing gear, clutching the cables for dear life. But instead of greeting her rescuers, she merely fixed us with a cold glare. "You're contraption nearly killed me," she stated.

Stork looked flustered. "Well, you don't just grab the landing gear when a ship is taking off! Come on!" he added to me. He led me back inside the ship, and we went down to the lowest floor, where we came to a room with a hole in the bottom where the gears were let down. "Climb on up," he told her. "We'll help you."

So that's how I helped a Cyclonian girl onto the ship. She was wearing an aubergine cloak and had the most malevolent stare of any person I'd ever seen. Her eyes should have been a bright lilac, but they were too cold to be, somehow. Maybe Aerrow was right about Cyclonians, after all.

We went up into the upper decks again, and Stork was about to lead us into the bridge. But like Aerrow had, the girl hesitated when she saw all the people inside. She scowled and backed away before heading down the hall to her own room.

I looked around to find my new friends, but Junko and Finn were clustered with Aerrow and Radarr. Aerrow seemed determined to act like I didn't exist, stalking off without looking my direction. Finn decided to do the same thing. Junko and Radarr glanced at me apologetically, but they eventually followed their friends.

Jerks! Fine, then! I'll go hang out with the creepy Cyclonian girl. See how they liked that!